WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama called his former Republican presidential rival , Sen. John McCain , a hero at a bipartisan dinner Monday night and encouraged politicians to reach across the aisle .

President-elect Barack Obama greets Sen. John McCain on stage after praising him at a bipartisan dinner .

`` I could stand here and recite the long list of John 's bipartisan accomplishments ... '' Obama said .

`` Campaign finance reform . Immigration . The Patients ' Bill of Rights . All those times he has crossed the aisle and risked the ire of his party for the good of his country . And yet , what makes John such a rare and courageous public servant is not the accomplishments themselves , but the true motivation behind them . ''

McCain returned the gracious feelings at the dinner .

`` I am very grateful to the president-elect and to all of you for this very considerate gesture , and for allowing me to play a small role in the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States , even if it is n't the one I had in mind a few months ago , '' McCain said .

`` Tomorrow , the President-elect will accept the burdensome privilege of leading America to its next accomplishments and its future greatness , '' McCain went on to say . `` He has my sincere best wishes for his success , and my promise of assistance . For his success will be our success . ''

After praising McCain , Obama urged everyone to take the bipartisan dinner past `` just an inaugural tradition '' and turn it into a `` new way of doing the people 's business in this city . ''

`` We will not always agree on everything in the months to come , and we will have our share of arguments and debates , '' Obama said . `` But let us strive always to find that common ground , and to defend together those common ideals , for it is the only way we can meet the very big and very serious challenges that we face right now . ''

On the eve of his inauguration , the president-elect even made time for a joke .

`` I 'm here tonight to say a few words about an American hero I have come to know very well and admire very much -- Sen. John McCain , '' Obama said as he opened his speech . `` And then , according to the rules agreed to by both parties , John will have approximately 30 seconds to make a rebuttal . ''

Obama 's speech at the bipartisan dinner capped a day filled by appearances , including visiting wounded soldiers and exhorting Americans to spend more time in the service of others .

In Washington people took in the sights of pre-inauguration activities and concerts .

`` The energy on the streets is something I 've never seen before , '' said Nancy Wigal , who lives in Vernon Square . `` People are walking lighter , standing taller and are reaching out to one another . It feels like hope . It feels like shared happiness . ''

Wigal said Obama 's inauguration has given residents hope that change actually will happen .

`` It 's all because of Obama -- we dare to feel positive that we may have actually elected a leader , not just a politician , '' she said . `` There are impromptu progressive dinner parties , cookouts and house parties . We finally feel like a real change has come to town . ''

Obama began his day with a surprise visit to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center . He met with 14 patients injured in either Iraq or Afghanistan .

Obama visited a National Day of Service project , stopping by the Sasha Bruce House , an emergency shelter for homeless teenagers in the Washington area . Watch Obama speak about service on the eve of his inauguration ''

The shelter provides a variety of services , including counseling , job training , and substance abuse prevention assistance , for up to 15 teenagers at a time .

Roughly 30 teenagers are spending the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday volunteering at the shelter by helping to renovate a dorm room .

Obama rolled up his sleeves and pitched in during the visit , using a roller to help paint a couple of walls and a piece of furniture .

He also quoted King to the teenagers , noting that `` everybody can be great -LSB- because -RSB- everybody can serve . ''

`` Do n't underestimate the power of people who join together to accomplish amazing things , '' Obama added . Given the crisis America is currently in , `` we ca n't allow any idle hands . Everybody 's got to pitch in . ''

Wigal said Obama 's actions and words make her believe the president-elect has the skills needed to help the country move forward .

`` Those of us who live and work here , who try to create , shape , influence and move policy forward , are feeling as if we can finally do something that 'll result in forward motion , '' Wigal said . `` We believe we have a leader who listens to those who work the issues every day and know the real solutions . ''

For Wigal , that 's exactly what makes Inauguration Day so important .

`` Tomorrow is going to be the biggest day in our country 's history since its creation , '' she said .

During Monday 's activities Obama also cited the heroics of U.S. Airways pilot Chesley Sullenberger , who safely landed a crippled commercial airliner in the Hudson River last Thursday , saving the lives of all 155 people on board .

`` If everybody did their job as well as he did -LSB- his -RSB- job , we would be in pretty good shape , '' Obama said .

Obama has personally invited Sullenberger to the inauguration .

Obama later joined Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a high school where students were making blankets and greeting cards , among other things , for soldiers overseas .

Speaking to the students , Obama again invoked King 's memory , noting the slain civil rights leader had `` dedicated his life to working at the grassroots level ... on behalf of justice and equality . ''

`` I am making a commitment to you , as your next president , that we are going to make government work , '' Obama said . But , he warned , `` government can only do so much . If we 're just waiting around for someone else to do it for us ... it never gets done . We 're going to have to take responsibility , all of us . ''

Incoming first lady Michelle Obama , joined by Jill Biden , the wife of the vice president-elect , spent the morning at a separate volunteer service event at RFK Stadium , where people were assembling care packages for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan .

Martin Luther King Jr. . Day is traditionally viewed as a day to encourage greater volunteerism .

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NEW : John McCain : President-elect `` has my sincere best wishes for his success ''

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Barack Obama praises Sen. John McCain 's leadership at bipartisan dinner

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`` The energy on the streets is something I 've never seen before , '' D.C. resident says

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Obama urges students to join him and take responsibility